Ronnie James Dio Hologram Hits The Road

This is both odd and unique: the Ronnie James Dio hologram is going on tour with the other members of Dio. This means you'll have the chance to hear the music of Dio live once again. The tour is called, naturally, Dio Returns. The tour is starting overseas and will eventually make its way to America next summer.

The hologram will use actual live vocals, so it will sound more natural. The hologram was created by Eyellusion.

It's an interesting concept to bring back a beloved musician from the dead, pair them with still living bandmates and hit the road. More holograms are in the works and I can't help but wonder who will be next.

Here's the first tour dates for Dio Returns:

Nov. 30 - Helsinki, Finland @ The Circus
Dec. 03 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Fryshuset
Dec. 04 - Oslo, Norway @ Rockefeller Music Hall
Dec. 06 - Warsaw, Poland @ Progresja
Dec. 13 - Barcelona, Spain @ Bikini
Dec. 15 - Santander, Spain @ Escenario Santander
Dec. 17 - Bucharest, Romania @ Arelene Romane
Dec. 20 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Trix
Dec. 21 - Tilburg, Netherlands @ 013

Here's a video of the Ronnie James Dio hologram:

Comments

[Gary]

Wendy Dio. Making Sharon Osborne look like Mother Theresa by comparison....

[Gogmagog]

I was thinking more along the lines of Gene Simmons

[Bob]

the only way to stop exploitative crap like this from happening is for people to not buy tickets. If this turns out to be a huge money-losing proposition, other people will be less inclined to pick departed musicians' carcasses clean.

[Bryon]

I find this a bit tacky, but I also see this as being a pretty cool way to honor him. It keeps his music alive and continues to expose it to new people. I get that there is a profit-motive, but it's the music business and there is nothing wrong with making a bit of money if people want to pay.

Going a bit further, and as the technology evolves, it would be cool to be able to re-live old classic concerts through VR, holograms, etc. Think of how much fun it would be to be back in the crowd for the Def Leppard Hysteria tour, see Zeppelin at their height, see GNR at the Ritz, experience Metallica's Damaged Justice tour, etc.

[Lucien]

I wouldn't spend money on this. Pure greed to make money over a talented musician's legacy

[Dj]

It shows the great advancements in technology but those advances can be put to better use, but if people care to pay to see this, then to each his own.
This looks like a huge cash grab and it is very disappointing to see. Why pay hard earned money for a hologram singer when you can just buy and watch a concert DVD?? It kind of takes away what makes actual live music special. Just my opinion, I know tons will disagree.

[Metalboy!]

I remember they did this with Elvis at Radio City years ago with some success but the technology wasn't nearly as good as it is now.

I'm with Bryon! With technology as advanced as it is today, as DJ so astutely points out, this concept has the potential to be a really well executed and excellent live experience.

If this makes it to the States, I will check it out. I would much rather see the band with a hologram of Dio than see those other dudes who've been subbing for him since his death..

And I like Bryon's concept of taking it even further ... Page should cut a deal with Plant to allow him to reform Zeppelin using a hologram of Plant!

Or, as Bryon said, how about being able to see Led Zeppelin perform their legendary '77 Seattle Superdome show on stage again?

There's enough footage in the bootleg video of that show and others from that tour to meld those images with those of actors using HD CGI technology to recreate the performance onstage with holograms!

The Beatles! The Who! Pink Floyd! The Crüe! The Ramones! The Sex Pistols! Somebody steal Bryon's idea (Sorry, Bryon!). Done right, with official approval from the bands, this would be HUGE! Perfect for Vegas, of course!

[Him]

The question always is: why? Why do this? Why pay to see it? Why?

I think I know why Wendy is doing this. She was, and now is, the driving force behind the business of Dio. Whatever personal issues they might have had, they remained partners in the business of making Dio a worldwide success. I think a lot of what she has done since Dio died has been questionable. But Dio left her that right of way and, to be fair, to complain about what she is doing is to implicate what Dio let her do. So the profit motive, the constant repackaging, the hologram, the battles over who is the "rightful" cover band? A bit of a wash for me.

But the use of holograms to relive past moments? Well, Vegas is a start. As a side-show, or a less vital version of "Raiding the Rock Vault," this just might be a great night out. But as an ongoing tour? Hmm. I guess that is where my conflict resides. I see this sort of thing as a destination event, not as a "live" touring event. But I get that that is me making a decision for other people. A tour of this brings it to people who want to see it. A stationary show makes it a thing to go see. I guess I just favor the latter and not the former (and I get the idea of making it a "surprise" event during an otherwise normal tour).

The issue of whether or not the tech is good is a non-issue for me. People adjust to tech as tech evolves. I still love the Hall of Presidents and robo-Lincoln. So the issue of how "real" the fake Dio is is beside the point. The video clip above suggests just how "real" it can be nowadays (and how you can brand the event by changing parts of the integrated video given the specific location).